More residents are expected to start moving back into their apartments in Sydney's damaged Opal Tower in coming days after the builder stopped paying for temporary accommodation and food.

Icon announced it won't pay food or accommodation beyond breakfast on Sunday for residents of 74 apartments after the body corporate's engineers Cardno declared those units safe to occupy.

The Opal Tower at Sydney Olympic Park.Credit:MICK TSIKAS

"It is important to note that the we are continuing to work with all the engineers to ensure all queries are thoroughly addressed and that the extent of apartments with actual remedial works is minimal," Icon said in a letter to residents.

"Approximately 65 per cent of the apartments are ready to be re-occupied now."

Advertisement

Loading

Other residents will be able to stay in hotel accommodation until at least Wednesday.

Design engineer WSP on Thursday said it had established a re-occupation schedule for apartments that are "physically remote" from repairs, strengthening works or propping.

It said stabilisation works had been undertaken on three walls in the building across 12 levels.

But it maintains the building is structurally sound overall - a verdict also made by the government's independent engineering experts.

It follows weeks of uncertainty and inconvenience for Opal Tower apartment owners and lease-holders, after large cracks were found in the Sydney Olympic Park building on Christmas Eve.

The cracks initially sparked an emergency response and evacuation, but residents were ordered to stay out of the building until further investigations were carried out and the building declared safe.

An interim report released by the state government earlier this month stated that "significant rectification works are required" to repair the building.

While the building was declared structurally safe, independent experts investigating the cracked western Sydney building recommended all residents should delay moving back until further investigations have taken place by independent engineers.